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It's Trash to Treasure Tuesday over at Kimm's ! I thought I'd give you an update and share about a true trash to treasure - my rescued old, chippy white windows. And, don't forget to enter my "Jungle Queen" July giveaway! Click here for details.
Here's a peek at what I'm doing with two of them.
I'm making one of the 4 ft. size windows into a bulletin board. I just love the chippy paint, so I am not going to repaint it. (sorry about the glare!) I might play with some neat patterned scrapbook paper behind the glass to give it some color. It doesn't have a permanent home yet, but for now sits propped up against the wall next to my desk.
This one has two big handles on the frame, which I strung fine gauge wire across and attached to the other side. I found some tiny old clothes pins to clip on to the wire.
These little lovelies I screwed into the opposite side - they came off of my old entertainment center. Painted them white and distressed them for some character.
I found a sparkly crystal magnet that my friend made to use on the glass. I plan on making and adding more to hold all my school notes.
And here's one of the six-paned windows I made into a chalkboard. (I sprayed on 5 coats of chalkboard paint)
Below are all 22 windows after I brought them home. Also, the story of how I was blessed with them!
I have a bad habit of asking people if I can have their trash. It's become an obsession of mine lately. Not literal "trash" like an old McDonald's happy meal box...but real good trash like old furniture or in the case of today's post - old windows. I happened to be visiting our dear friends last week who were having their house painted. I love their old house. It's a block away from the beach. Kim has decorated it adorably with all kinds of coolness from the past. She has several different collections in every room of things that make her happy. Okay, so...I pulled up in front and noticed right away their cool old windows weren't being taped off and the painting was almost done. Could that mean...are they going to replace them for new ones? Upon investigation, yes indeed they were replacing the old ones with brand spanking new ones. And guess what? The husband said I could have ALL of the old windows (husbands are always giving everything away)! He said they were "planning on just putting them all out in the alley" - WHAT? That was an unacceptable option to me. Really, I would have been overjoyed to acquire just one of the windows, but of course I had to rescue the others too! I pictured them being smashed to smitherenes by some hoodlum kids riding by on their bicycles. Or snatched up by someone who wouldn't appreciate them as much as I do. I rounded the backyard and oh my there she was - our eyes met - the grandmother of all old windows - the coolest window of the bunch. Six feet wide with 12 panes. Chippy old white paint. Oh the plans I have for her! When I told hubby about my new rescue mission, he rolled his eyes (lovingly) and even though the question of "WHY do you want all of them and do I have to load them all up in the car?" was burning in his mind, he instead said "okay honey. what exactly do you have in mind for them?" I tried so hard to come up with a great idea for every single one, but I couldn't. I just knew I couldn't let them be thrown away.
Here she is...in our dining room. She's very heavy of course, so I don't know yet how we'll hang her on the wall behind the dining room table - she would definitely break someone's arm if she fell off. But I'm thinking about blowing up a cool black & white picture of an old city scape into a poster size to fit behind the window. What do you think?
And here are her little ones. 22 to be exact. Rescued from their alleyway demise. I cleaned them up with a brush on my front lawn - had some neighbors drive by, slow down as they passed to see what in the heck crazy lady was up to now. (Sometimes I have old frames hanging on bungee cords from the branches being spray painted.) What do I do with them? Do you all think I'm out of my mind for bringing them home? Don't answer that. I think they would make awesome wall art of some kind. But I've done some net surfing and all I've come up with so far are the cheesiest looking crafty things with dried flowers and stencils. Like from the 80's. Well, they will be sitting in my garage ready to go to good homes for anyone who would appreciate them.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Oh my, I would have snatched those up as well~could you turn one into a cool bulletin board, or put some beautiful different fabrics behind each square, or a chalkboard?
May 29th, 2009 at 6:12 am
Absolutely a lovely blog!
Greetings from Italy,
Federica.
May 29th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Wow, what a find! It's even more awesome because you know where they came from. You could paint the panes with chalkboard paint, or hang one or more in a room (ie bathroom or laundry room) or hallway that has no windows. Or you could take the glass out and replace it with a mirror. Lots of possibilities!
May 29th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I recently found your blog and I love it!
(BTW, my daughter's name is Emma, too!)Anyhoo, you scored big time on these windows! What a great find! I adore old windows as well. Every time I bring another one home, hubby rolls his and asks "what in the world are you going to do with another window?" One of the windows has six panes and has been re-purposed as a frame. Enjoy your windows.....I sure you will come up with something fabulous! Blessings! 
May 30th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Now, don't be giving my 1/2 away...=) I'm coming...hopefully soon.
May 31st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Ooh, I'm envious! I'd love one of them. Unfortunately old windows like that are super expensive over here (England). I have 7 inspiration pictures of projects using old windows - if you'd like to email me I'd be happy to send them your way.
May 31st, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Marie, because you sent me photos to help me with table ideas, I'm going to leave a link for you with what I did to one window -- it hangs in my dining room above the buffet:
http://indulgeyourshelf.blogspot.com/2009/03/view-from-my-window.html
I know you'll come up with some great ideas for the windows -- and I don't think you're crazy for bringing them home! I would have, too!
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:23 pm
That big huge one with the little panes on the top and the big ones on the bottom made me squeal a little! I would totally turn that baby into a headboard!!! -Kelsee
June 4th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Oh wow! I'm so jealous! I love all the ideas people are giving you! I think you could make a cute headboard. Here's a link to a cute frame like window that turned out really wonderfully! http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/06/before-after-monicas-frames-michelles-mirror.html
June 17th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
What a great find!!!
thanks for sharing. do you have a plan for all of them??
blessings,
barbara jean
June 18th, 2009 at 3:53 am
Good going. Great and fun windows to play with!!!!!! Happy Junk Party.
June 18th, 2009 at 7:18 am
That huge window will look fabulous hanging on the wall! I like your idea of putting a b&w picture in there, or it would look great as is. I'm waiting for someone to throw out their windows. I just need 6 windows for a project I have in mind, and of course now there are no windows to be found!
June 18th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Marie, I love windows too. I have a whole pile of them in my backyard. I plan on making yard conservatories. Here's a link to a website that sells them. http://web.mac.com/lindasbluegate/iWeb/LInda%27s%20Blue%20Gate/Yard%20Conservatory.html
June 18th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Good save! You can do lots of cool stuff with those!
June 18th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
I love your windows too...and would be totally jealous if I didn't have my own courtesy of mamaw....
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Oh, you are so lucky! I have always thought that if I found enough old windows I would like my husband to build me a small greenhouse! I saw one in a magazine once - and it was very sweet.
July 15th, 2009 at 5:05 am
Marie, those are awesome! I love the panes and chippy paint. You have hit the jackpot, and I can't wait to see what you do with the whole lot! I love the pictures hanging on the first, that's a great idea. Thanks for linking up to Trash to Treasure!
July 15th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I have this feeling inside me...ya, I'm pretty sure it's envy.
MAN! THATS AWESOME!
July 15th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
What a score! You have so many windows you could make a green house or a really cute playhouse.
July 15th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I love the idea of using old windows... I am now always looking for them at garage sales or glancing at people's bulk trash (yikes!). Thanks for sharing such great ideas!
Christine @ charminglycheap.blogspot.com
July 15th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Lucky lucky you Emma, i so wished i lived in the states, you have the best "junk" in the world. I have one of these windows, and i have used it as a photo frame, it has six panels, and i have 6 black and white photos of my children, one in each section. You just need a backing board, cut photos to fit, and voila, a lovely photo collage!
Amanda, Australia
July 15th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
what a great score!
http://craziness-x-3.blogspot.com/2008/10/i-cant-even-put-it-into-words-yet.html
My friend Michelle is on the design team for Jenni Bowlin Studios and her blog post shows how she used scrappy stuff and an old window.
July 15th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
oops, so sorry marie, i wasn't concentrating when i was typing and called you Emma, such a lovely name though !